Say thanks for my Beta, Kereea! However Rexic and Soulia as I said on the last chapter, is my 'back up' Beta is Kereea is unable to Beta.

For those who KEEPS telling me about my mistakes and such; I'm human just like you,who suffers dyslexia and a learning disability. It does not make me have low intelligence or brain damage. And please don't e-mail me saying that. Thank you.

Dragons of the West

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Summary: Set after episode, the Firebending Masters. There are many secrets that mortals in the past have long forgotten. Ever wondered how the War started? How the mortals in the Avatar world learned to bend the elements from the help of the Gods themselves? And how did the mortals then defended evil that wanted to take over the world? What happened to Aang’s friends before the War, after he disappeared? How is Zuko related to Avatar Ruko and Kuzon? Is Ursa still alive or she is dead? How did Iroh became a member of the Order of the White Lotus? What really happened to Iroh’s son Lu Ten? What really became the airbenders 100 years before? Ever wondered what became the other characters in the story after we never see them again?

What secrets would be discovered? And what is the cost to know them?

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Chapter Nine

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Late that night, Zuko was at the edge of the camp, looking out in the dark sky. Aang slowly walked up to him, not knowing how he should approach the fire bender.

“Uh, Zuko what are you doing?” Aang asked Zuko as he approached.

At first Zuko didn’t say anything. Aang wasn’t surprised. For the pass few days, Zuko wasn’t himself, ever since he told them about his Uncle coming to the camp, the Others, about the Holy Counsel and just about everything else.

Aang didn’t know who ‘Mai’ was, only that she was Zuko’s girlfriend. However, the name seemed so familiar to him, as if he heard the name someplace else, besides from Zuko. “Yeah, she’s okay. She’s probably back in the Fire Nation waiting for you to come home.” Aang said hoping to ease Zuko’s trouble thoughts.

Zuko shook his head. “No, she’s not the in the Fire Nation, I can feel it….” Zuko said in a faraway voice.

“Zuko?” Aang asked, not knowing what Zuko meant by that.

Zuko sighed. “Before the Invasion, I left Mai a letter on her bed. Telling her why I was gone, why I decided to join you and where I was going. It also told her that she could join me by siding with you.” Zuko confessed.

Aang said nothing, so Zuko continued. “In the letter, I also left a map that marked some places where it should be safe to go to, the safe houses that are homes to those who don’t follow my father leading to the Headquarters.” Zuko explained.

“How do you know about them?” Aang asked. How can he, a Fire Nation Prince know where the safe houses are that seemed to be traitors to the Fire Nation? Surely he would’ve killed them or something.

“After I was banished, when my ship needed supplies before launch, my Uncle and I went to them to get food and such. Even back then, I wasn’t… welcomed to many Fire Nation towns. I have scars to prove that. So instead we went to safe houses in the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe. I even went to the Northern Air Temple at one time, looking for you, meeting Teo couple years ago. They knew you weren’t loyal to my father, or maybe that I was, because my Uncle and my father were never friends even when they were children. For exchange for food, supplies and shelter, we kept their secrets of smuggling people from the Fire Nation and other nations in the War.”

Aang slightly smiled at that. He was so wrong about Zuko. “Is it true that you threatened to fry Teo to a crisp when you guys met?” he asked, remembering Teo saying something like that some nights ago.

Zuko looked at him uneasily. “Maybe.” he said flatly. “He was very dishonorable of asking what happened to my face, when it was my business only.” he explained.

Zuko didn’t know if that was complement or not. “You speak highly of him. Who is he?” Zuko asked.

Aang suddenly smiled. “He was fire bender, my best friend from the Fire Nation before the war. I remember meeting him for the first time, it felt as if I was connected to him and that moment on, we were friends. Me, Kuzon, Bumi and Nanuq (1) joked a lot about one of the reasons why he so messed up in the head, because his mother was old when she got pregnant with him.”

Seeing Zuko confused look Aang continue. “Kuzon was a bit crazy.” he explained. “Sometimes more then Bumi was. Bumi is a mad genius type of crazy and Kuzon on the other hand was crazy in the sense that his views were lacking reasonable thoughts, you might say. I don’t know how I became friends with them though.”

“You’re a nice kid.” Zuko could only say.

There was silence.

“So…” Aang said, not liking the silence between them. “You got a girlfriend.” he stating the obvious.

“Yeah, so?” Zuko asked not knowing what Aang was leading this conversation at.

“And you just left her in the Fire Nation to choose to follow you or not?” Aang asked.

Zuko nodded. “I wanted her to choose where her loyalties lie. I didn’t want her to become a traitor just because I made her. Whatever she choose, I will always love her. Sometimes I wonder if she is safe or not. I hope she choose the right choice that is best for her. Where ever she is now…”

Aang nodded. “I don’t know what I would do if Katara wasn’t here with me.” he said smiling dreamily.

Zuko smirked. “So, when will you and her you know…” he hinted at him.

Aang blushed. He wouldn’t admit it, but many times dreamed of them being a couple and more. And hearing it hinting at him from Zuko of all the people made him very, very uneasy. “I don’t know if she has the same feelings as I do.” he said.

“Come on, Aang, didn’t you guys kiss or something?”

Aang’s eyes widened. “How did you know? That she--I-- kissed-- before the invasion--”

Zuko laughed. “I didn’t.” he told the young monk.

“Then how?”

“You just told me.” Zuko said smiling, doing the same trick that his sister and Toph did to him so many times. Aang glared at him. “Also you talk in your sleep.” Zuko added, smirking at the confused Avatar.

“I do?” Aang asked him, not believing him.

Zuko nodded. “Only when you’re stressed out.”

Aang nodded not knowing if Zuko was lying or not.

“So Aang, why are you here anyway?” Zuko asked him.

“Oh! Katara wanted me to tell you that dinner’s ready.”

Zuko gave him a look. He knew that Katara didn’t send him to him. He knew that Aang was using that excuse to make sure he was eating. “Right. Thanks Aang. I’ll be there in a few minutes.

“Oh okay Zuko. I will make sure that Sokka doesn’t take all the food.”

Zuko nodded. “You go do that.”

Aang nodded and left.

-

Everyone looked up from their plates when Aang arrived from to camp.

“Where have you been?” Katara asked him, standing up putting her hands on her hips.

“I was with Zuko--” Aang started to say, knowing what Katara would say next.

“You what? Aang, he could’ve taken you!” Katara yelped, shocked that Aang could be so careless. He could’ve been killed!

“Katara chill out. Zuko is on our side now.” Sokka said in a mouth full of food, mentally sighing in annoyance of his sister’s actions against the fire bender

Katara whipped around towards her brother, her eyes firing in anger. “Oh, now you’re on his side too? Have you forgotten what he did to us?”

“No, Katara I will never forget that,” Sokka said firmly. “But I am willing to put it aside. The past is in the past.”

“I’m with Sokka on this, Katara! We can trust him. See look! He’s teaching me how to shoot a bow!” the Duke said, showing everyone that starting bow that Zuko made for him.

“That’s great, Duke.” Haru said, not knowing what’s so great about a bow. It’s just a stick with a string tied to it. Earth is so much better in his opinion.

“It’s the Duke! Can you say that with me? THE Duke!” the Duke yelled at him. Katara ignored them.

“Aang, next time I want you to have someone with you next time you are alone with Zuko, just in case he tries to do anything.” Katara said.

Aang didn’t know what to say. Zuko was on their side! And he didn’t need a babysitter, he wasn’t a child! “I don’t need a babysitter! Katara, he’s on our side! Why can’t you see that?” Aang asked her, trying to make her see that Zuko is good.

“I’m with Aang, Katara. I’m not gonna baby-sit him. He’s old enough to take care of himself.” Toph said folding her arms.

“Come on, Katara, I went with alone with him on Appa to the Sun Warriors Temple. And I came back without a scratch. Doesn’t that show that Zuko is on our side?”

"Maybe, but we can’t trust him, Aang! Come on, can you see what he’s doing? He didn’t attack you there, only because he needed his Firebending back! His Uncle came here and told him to make up a tall tale about the Holy Counsel, a place where everyone in the Nations going to meet up to make a big plan to defend the Fire Lord. Who in the right mind would believe that crap? The Fire Nation wants us to believe them so they can take over! Tell me Aang, does that sounds likely that the brother of the Fire Lord and his son would be our side? This is what the Fire Lord wants! This is his plan to get you and kill us!”

Aang was about to say something, but stopped. Come to think about it, it does sound little far fetched. But Zuko is on their side, he has to be! Zuko saved his life many times, and he to him.

“He wasn’t lying to us! Zuko is telling the truth!” Toph said, standing up. She couldn’t believe that Katara was this narrow minded.

“If Toph says that he wasn’t lying then that good enough for me.” Teo said.

Everyone, but Katara agreed. “I can’t believe you all! He is Fire Nation! His people killed my mother! He and his people killed and attack your Nations. And all of you are okay with that? Aang, his own grandfather slaughtered your people!” she snarled at them all. Aang looked hurt knowing that Katara was right. Everyone looked at each not knowing what to say or do. “He is Fire Nation. They are murderers! They are nothing but brutal animals that does not deserve to live! Sokka do you remember what father told us what they do to their newborns?”

Sokka bit his lip. “Come on, Katara. I don’t think that true--”

“Do you remember?” Katara demanded.

“Yes, I do remember.” Sokka said shaking his head.

“What do they do?” the Duke asked, not knowing what the two water tribe siblings were talking about.

Katara turned to him. “When a child in their nation is born, they would take the poor innocent child from its mother and discard it and leave it to die in the wilderness.”

The Duke looked at Katara, stunned. “No that isn’t true. No one is the cruel. Not even the Fire Nation! How can that be true? You’re lying! I seen a lot of Fire Nation kids…”

Everyone looked at each. “I heard of it, but I never thought it could be true….” Haru said thoughtfully.

Aang on the other hand looked sick and guiltily. No wonder Kuzon was crazy. “Kuzon did say something about a test, that his mother bathed him in wine to see whether he was alive or not…..”

“See? How can we trust a Nation that does that to their own children? Drowning their babies, leaving them in the wilderness to die! We can’t trust Zuko! None of us should trust the Fire Nation. They are nothing but brutal, evil--”

“THAT IS ENOUGH!”

Everyone jumped and turned around came face to face with angry fire bender. Zuko glared angrily at Katara, who glared right back, folding her arms and snarling at him.

“That is what you people do! Don’t deny it, Zuko!” Katara yelled at him, ready to use her water to attack him if necessary.

Zuko didn’t say anything.

“Zuko? Is that what your people kill their babies?” the Duke asked him, not sure if he wanted to know the truth. He hoped that Katara was lying.

At first Zuko stood there silently. Not knowing what to say. “I won’t deny that is the truth.” Zuko said slowly.

There was stunned silence. No one moved or say anything.

Katara on the other hand smirked in triumph. She finally found the proof that he could not be trusted, not ever.

“See? I told you--”

“Your knowledge however is wrong.” Zuko said suddenly, making Katara hate him even more.

Katara smirked evilly. She had him! He admitted it! She is not wrong, but he is! “You just admitted it!”

“My people do discard children, I will admit it. We only do that if the newborns are too weak to live, or they are disfigured or too small. I myself barely made the test, when my mother brought me to the elders in the Fire Temples. I was too small when I was born; however the only thing that saved me from being discarded then and there is the fact that I was fire bender. For that, I was lucky to be born.”

Everyone stare at Zuko and then back to Katara.

“So you discard children just because they are little off when they are born or unfit to live?” Katara said, not believing any of what Zuko said. She was outrage.

“Yes and other things.” Zuko said, not caring if Katara hated him more.

“That’s sad.” the Duke said. He was so upset of thinking about all the babies that been killed just because they were weak

“It’s evil.” Katara said flatly. “What kind of parents would do that to their own children?”

“We have been doing this tradition for 1,000s of years, ever since the Fire Nation became a Nation. It is our way of life!” Zuko said, knowing now that everyone here are now nauseated around him more and hearing the new facts about his people. “You and everyone else do not understand our ways!”

“No we don’t. You are not to be trusted.”

Zuko’s hands suddenly turned into fists of anger. Hot flames across form his hands, licking the air in rage. Seeing this Katara leaped away in fear. Is he going to attack her?

“I am trying to be good!” Zuko said, gritting his teeth, trying to calm himself, but failing. “I am on your side. Katara, I’m sorry of what I did to you all, truly I am. I’m sorry about my people killing your mother. You can trust me. What can I do to make you trust me?”

Katara stared at him blankly; slightly stunned that Zuko would actually ask her that question.

“Drop dead.” she said in venomous voice, turning around and walked down the temple corridors not looking back.

Everyone else sat silently waiting for what Zuko would do next. None of them dared to move or talk, fearing that it would make Zuko loose his temper once more.

Suddenly Zuko screeched at the top of his lungs like raged animal similar of what he did when he was on the top of the cliff. Zuko then grabbed the closest plate of food and he stormed out of the camp.

Everyone was still silent.

-
0o0o0o0o0o0o
-

Iroh and everyone else stopped at the foot of the golden temple.

The large heavy doors showed a large circler symbol painted and graved into it. Looking at it Iroh knew it was a symbol that none of them ever seen or used before. The symbol itself looked symbolic of the wicked that shown a skull, dripping of blood from an ancient weapon through it. The door was painted of the ancients fighting demon like creatures that seemed to come out from the darkness of hell itself. Below that dark picture and the symbol, were the ancients and mythical creatures showing peace in the world.

“Now that is the sight that you don’t see everyday!” Hotaru (2) said happily. Everyone around the female Sun Warrior didn’t felt as happy as she did.

“Yes Hotaru that is a sight to see.” Iroh agreed, glad that someone in the group was cheerful. In many ways, Hotaru was just like her cousin, Ty Lee. For a moment, Iroh stopped and wondered if Zuko was okay, and painfully wondered what his brother is doing now. Is he okay? Is he planning on an invasion against them?

Iroh loved Azula, as his niece, just as he loved Zuko. As such, it pained him, leaving her with his brother. He knew that Ozai isn’t a pleasant man to be with. He abused not just his children, but also his wife, Ursa. Ursa protected her children from their father’s wrath for many years until the day she killed his father, to protect her son from Ozai and was banished

He wondered many times after all these years of what would happen if Ursa took Zuko and Azula with her after Ozai banished her. Would the world be different? Would his own fate be different as well? Or would Ozai have tracked them down and killed them?

Haruki walked up to the giant doors, touching the painting and the gothic symbol. “Whoever done this, took great care of making this masterpiece. Iroh, what do you think the painting is telling us?”

Shui (3) snickered at the comment. How can a painting that was painted thousands of years ago tell them something?

Iroh ignored the water youth. He wondered why Nanuq, his grandfather told Shui’s father to let Shui come with him. If it wasn’t the fact that they were on the same side, he or someone from the Fire Nation would’ve killed him by now to shut him up.

Just then an elderly Earthbender, who was loosing his sight over age, stepped forward from the crowd behind, passing Shui. “What pray tell do you think that the door is telling us?” he asked in one in particular.

Haruki and Iroh didn’t reply. “The beginning of the dark era when the Land of Torment was opened, killing millions in the world of all the Nations. The birth of the Locus qua is est Pondera(4), formed together to fight against the demons of Armageddon. The times when all the tribes in the world when the Greatest Battle of Mankind because the four nations that we know today….”

Everyone now looked at the painting in a new look, awe of what history that had took place here.

Haruki tried to open the door, but it didn’t move. “How are going to open this door?” he asked.

“Does anyone see the winter solstice calendar or anything like that around?” someone asked from the crowd.

The elderly Earthbender smiled shaking his head. “If I remember correctly from my youth, the Nations back then didn’t use solstices to open doors like we used for the past 2,000 years like we use today. It varies of which tribe in the ancient ages you use. Some tribes used blood; other used the ancient tongue in chants and other ways.”

A middle aged man laughed at that. “So you are saying Sophocles (5) that we should strip naked from our clothes and chant in a circle until it opens by itself?” the man said laughing. “Don’t make us laugh. You are foolish to believe such things.”

Sophocles, the elderly Earthbender turned toward the middle aged man, his eyes in anger. “Don’t criticize my knowledge! You forget, Xenon (6) that I used to study the Ancients before I retired. If anyone cares of what I say, the ancients that build this place used everything to open these doors. We need to use blood as a sacrifice, chanting in the ancient language, and give their gods or spirits of what we call them today, an offering.”

Iroh pulled out a knife from his pocket and pulled out his lunch. He sat his lunch at a near by alter and lighting it. He then slightly cut his finger, and then touched the symbol. His blood spread at the mouth of the skull.

Instantly the door glowed with bright white light, as words of the ancient language suddenly appeared every inch of the door. Everyone was shocked.
Sophocles walked up to the doors, a smiling across his face, not before he glace at Xenon, who glared at him. “Its read, per vox superum , obscurum vadum pereo.(7)” he said glancing at Iroh.

“And what does that mean?” Iroh asked.

“In English it says, by the power of the gods, the darkness shall perish.” Sophocles said.

“What about the other words?” Haruki asked.

Sophocles looked at them. “Warnings about the gods’ wrath, saying that whoever harms or disrespect the souls that dwell here will die in agony.”

“How can we open this door?” Iroh asked the Earthbender.

“Repeat the words that I told you, many times.”

“How many time?”

Sophocles’ eyes blinked. “What kind of a question is that? How should I know?”

“I will do it.” Haruki said, stepping up.

“NO!” Sophocles yelled suddenly slapping Haruki‘s hand, making everyone jump. “Because Iroh had given his blood and his offering, he and he alone must open the door. Or the consequences will be severe.”

Iroh nodded, repeating of what the old Earthbender told him. As he repeated the words out loud, the wind itself suddenly blew over head, as the day turned into night, as if a storm was born over head.

Everyone shrieked in fright, as lightning strike the ground near them. Still Iroh held his ground, repeating the words as if he own life depend it.

Then suddenly, everything stopped, and the door opened.

“The gods was testing your bravery, and you have pasted. Well done, Iroh.” Sophocles said, patting Iroh on the back.

Iroh nodded mutely, shocked of he had witnessed.

Everyone walked into the golden temple, as everyone was in, the door slammed shut.

-

Inside the great temple was the largest chamber that any of them had ever seen. The carefully curved smooth walls were carved with so much care that by touching it felt like velvet. The floor too was smooth, with carpets that was centuries old, but yet surprisingly by everyone was not damage by age or the elements of the world by the seasons of the year.

As the crowd slowly walked down the chamber with caution, in the center of it was a carve circler shaped symbol. It was large, with all the nations’ symbols and the center of the circle was the Avatar symbol and surrounding it was another circle of which that chains were. The place where the sacrifice would be sacrificed at.

“Now what?” Shui asked, folding his arms, slightly pissed that his family’s place is at the most corner of the massive circle.

“You do nothing!” Sophocles snarled at him.

“Shut up old man!” Shui hissed.

“Silence!” Iroh roared. The chamber went silent.

“Guess this is it then.” Iroh said to himself, as he pulled the same knife that he cut his finger with. “Bring out the sacrifice!” he called out.

Slowly, two Fire Nation man and woman walked towards him, holding two men in their grasp. One was a middle aged man as the other was younger.

Zhao, who had a large limp on right leg, who slightly wince in pain of his leg. Iroh looked at his face, seeing no fear in his eyes, but he glanced at Iroh and the knife. He saw something flicker in his eyes, but a second later it vanished.

Iroh remembered what Zuko had told him about Zhao being dead. The Water Spirit taking him to his watery grave and believed to be dead. How that Zhao is alive, he didn’t know. But all they knew, Zhao’s fate wasn’t meant to finish there during Siege in the North Pole.

Iroh glanced at another young man that he never seen before. Looking at him, he looked he was from the Earth Kingdom. Iroh wondered what Haruki was planning; for he didn’t tell him when he asked, saying it is a surprise.

“Haruki where did you find these men?”

“That young man is a bandit. No one is going to miss him.” Haruki answered.

“What about Zhao?”

“So that’s his name? My men found him wondering around in the Earth Kingdom. He killed many of my men. And he says he knows you, so we didn’t kill him.”

Iroh nodded. “We only need one.”

Haruki then smiled. “Why can’t we enjoy a show before we get all serious?”

Iroh smiled. “A duel to the death.”

Haruki nodded. Both stepped away.

The two Fire Nationals chained the two men in the center at their ankle. The woman, who chained Zhao, felt pity on him and chained him with his good leg. Each of them had a choice of a weapon either a sword or a battle axe. The bandit took the clumsy sword, seeing that his opponent was weak with his leg and also the fact that he was a good swordsman.

Zhao on the other hand, only knew Firebending, as he took the battle axe in his untrained hands. He knew that young man in front of him was much stronger then he, with him still recovering of his ‘accident’ with the Water Spirit. Seeing that the young man take the weapon and twilling it told him that he wasn’t a bender . Just then the bandit charged at him.

Zhao ducked as the sword nearly missed his head. As he somersaulted across the floor, again wincing at the pain of his leg as he got up. The chain around his left ankle kept him from going anywhere.

The bandit hissed in anger as he had underestimated his opponent. His eyes widened as he watched Zhao’s hands turn into flames. ‘Crap’ the bandit thought, again swinging his sword, adapted to cut off one of his opponent’s arms.

If it wasn’t for the fact that he was weak and middle aged then he wanted to be, Zhao could’ve killed the young man without breaking a sweat. He side stepped to his left, ignoring the pain that he felt, as the sword missed him.

The bandit spin the sword at him again, but then time Zhao didn’t doge it. He grabbed the halt of the sword swinging it and thrust it into the young man chest at the same time, hacking the battle axe into his back.

Zhao drop the body down, as the blood of the bandit flow from the dead corpse, the massive circle suddenly light up with white light.

The sacrifice was given.

Iroh then stepped forward, as if by instinct Iroh then spoke the ancient words. Iroh didn’t know how he knew them, but he didn’t care. It was if his fate was meant to do this. As if he was born to do this.

The wind picked up again carrying Iroh’s voice around the knelling group that stood there ground at their place in the circle. The wind twirled and then went out, carrying the message that went all over the world.

-
0o0o0o0o0o0o
-

Thousands of miles away, far into the Earth Kingdom, that is now Fire Nation territory. New Ozai or commonly known to many citizens Omashu, former Earth King Bumi woke up feeling an unearthly burning feeling within himself, as he twitch in his metal prison box.

He felt the wind blow into his face, wondering how wind could be blown in his dungeon for there is no draft near him.

Like many who felt the Call at the same time, but he didn’t cry out in pain. Instead he smiled.

In the darkness he giggled insanity. “It is Time.” he said to himself, as he flicked his head upward, the metal bonds that bond him in his cage broke.

-
0o0o0o0o0o0o
-

Thousands of miles west from New Ozai, deep in the Fire Nation Prison called Boiling Rock, a Southern water tribe chief woke up hissing in pain. He wasn’t the only one however that woke up, the wind blew over head.

Thousands of miles south, towards the south pole, Water Master Pakku who was awake at the time, suddenly felt a burning feeling within his soul, as the wind carried snow into his face.

He gasped and headed towards the village.

-
0o0o0o0o0o0o
-

Many miles away from the North Pole, back to the Avatar group; Zuko, Aang, Sokka, and Haru woke up.

(End of Chapter)

Words: 4,833(1) Nanuq: a male name meaning “polar bear” in Inuktitut. I found the name by looking up the Avatar Kuruk’s name meaning, which means “A bear” in Native American. To any who doesn’t know Avatar Kuruk is the last water tribe Avatar.

(2) Hotaru: a female name in Japanese meaning "firefly".

(3) Shui: both male and female name, meaning "water" in Chinese.".

(4) Locus qua is est Pondera: translated from Latin to English, it reads ‘The Place where it is Balanced’.

(5) Sophocles: male name from the Greek name Sophokles, which was derived from Greek /(sophos) /“skilled, clever” and /(kleos) /“glory”. Sophocles was a 5th- century BC Greek tragic poet.

(7) Per vox superum , obscurum vadum pereo.: Translated from Latin to English its reads “By the power of the gods, the darkness shall perish."

(8) Ego dico super filiolus ut patefacio is ianua. Per vox superum , obscurum vadum pereo : Translated from Latin to English it reads, “I call upon the gods to open this door. By the power of the gods, the darkness shall perish.”

Author’s Notes: TODAY I found out that the next Avatar episode is called “Boiling Rock” Part I and II is called that BECAUSE it is the name of the Fire Nation prison! Where everyone that was captured during the Invasion went to and the Suki and everyone else with her is there!

Just thought you people should know.

Anyone I know that Zhao is dead, but I couldn’t think of anyone I should put in the story. I had to many non-Avatar knowing characters and so I figured “what the heck.” :)